The breeze had shifted direction, and the thick plumes of smoke from the attempted forest fire filled the night air. It appeared to SJ that most were out now as Kibble flew through the acrid smoke. The mages must have done a good job of dousing the trees, as there was little sight of any flames.
A shadowy form rocketed past them. The speed of Carlito in his dragon form was something that SJ could only ever dream of reaching. The smoke swirled in angry cyclones as his wings beat.
SJ pressed the gem on her stone. It took a while for Cristy to answer.
"Where are you now?" SJ asked.
"On my way to the holding area."
"Great, can you get Lorna once there? It will save me from coming back."
"Sure," Cristy said. SJ couldn't hear a sound from Cristy as she continued her journey through the dense forest.
After a couple of minutes, she could hear voices over the stone before Lorna came through.
"What is it?"
Lorna's voice was curt, not in a nasty way, just in a manner of someone in the middle of something important.
"We are going to do something to help with the gnolls by the forest edge. When we do, that should be the time for you to push them back down into the valley," SJ said.
Carlito was waiting for her to give him the go-ahead, and SJ could see him high above the forest; he was like a dark cloud hanging in the sky. To most, he would have been virtually invisible in the night sky, with only the fleeting reflection of moonlight catching his scales.
"What do you mean we? Not you and Kibble?" Lorna asked.
"No. My friend has arrived. Cristy knows who I am referring to. All I will say is, don't worry."
A very brief conversation took place, not directed at the stone.
Lorna's voice came through in a harsh whisper.
"Cristy mentioned something about flying?"
"I will explain later. How long will it take you to be ready to drive them back?"
"Give me ten minutes to brief and ten to get in position. I will get Cristy to call.
"Okay," SJ said.
As SJ ended the call, Kibble continued his slow ascent, approaching the same height as Carlito. The dragon hovered, his wings beating slowly, maintaining a stationary position.
"Twenty minutes," SJ said as they drew near. It was only then that SJ realised how high they were. She looked down at the mouth of the river, where the open ground before the forest spread at the valley edge. It looked miniature now. This had to be the highest she had ever flown; the sensation of falling hit her hard.
'Woah!' SJ thought. The sensation of vertigo, even if only mild, made her stomach lurch.
"After you attack, I am going to see if Kibble can influence the lizards. It should be the best time to add to any chaos."
Carlito didn't speak, just nodding his broad head. His snout was pointed and narrowed. Not sharp but tapered, almost elegantly, from his ridged brow. The eyes, though, held a hundred tales. They were a smoky ochre with the slit of a snake. They didn't blink, only the inner membrane flicking over their surface, keeping them moist. At the rear of his brow and off to the sides, his horns began. They reminded SJ of seashells spiralling out to fine tips. His entire visage exuded predatory power. Carlito held his jaws slightly open as he breathed, and SJ could see the size and sharpness of his giant teeth. She couldn't imagine that he could be harmed by anything.
It was like waiting for the call from a final interview, as they hovered above. SJ couldn't wait, nervous tension building to an almost fever-pitch level. The excitement she felt about witnessing Carlito attacking in his dragon form gave her butterflies. She kept placing her hand on the stone in the makeshift pouch of her dress, willing it to vibrate.
"Will you calm down? You're going to do yourself a mischief," Dave said.
'What?' SJ thought.
"If you were attached to a mana battery, it would have exploded by now."
'They have mana batteries?'
"No," Dave scoffed.
'Then why mention them?'
"Good point. Erm... I'm not even sure where I heard the term. It was probably Maria," Dave said, his voice carrying the invisible shrug.
'Are you still talking to her?'
"Only messages. She isn't exactly local."
SJ had still never got to the complete story behind Dave and this elusive Maria. It still confused her that AIs got married and had children by sharing code.
The stone vibrated. SJ grabbed at it so quickly she nearly disturbed it from the pouch, which may have sent it tumbling to the ground below. Her heart fluttered with panic as she steadied herself and answered the call.
"We're ready," Cristy said as the call ended again.
"You heard that?" SJ asked.
Carlito raised his eyebrow in the universal meaning of 'Really!', as he beat his wings one more time before angling down.
Kibble was fast. He was like an arrow soaring through the sky. Carlito, on the other hand, was no arrow; he was a ballistic missile. Even on a complete vertical descent, there was absolutely no way Kibble would have kept up with the speed that Carlito rocketed towards the ground, as though a magnet pulled him.
The vision of his blurring body as it plummeted took SJ's breath away. It was a thing of beauty and absolute terror. As soon as his descent started, it seemed to end, his wings opening and flaring. SJ heard the screams before she could even see what was happening clearly, as she raced near with Kibble.
The campfires the gnolls had lit provided just enough light, with the moon's support, to reveal the chaos and devastation Carlito was causing. The only sight of the poisonous acidic spray was the occasional flash of green as it reflected firelight, but where he struck, turning his head to reach as many of the gnolls as he could, the cries were terrifying. Gnolls convulsed, the potency and concentrated form of the spray causing an almost instant reaction from those affected.
There weren't eruptions of blood or gore, just screaming bodies that fell before they convulsed in their final throes as life left them. Carlito must have hit just under half of the gnolls. This reduced their number down to that which was near to what they had first come to the ridge with. SJ just hoped that it would be enough to help them secure a victory.
As the last jet of poison stopped, Carlito immediately lifted, beating his enormous wings, adding even further chaos as the fires spat angrily, embers and logs being thrown like matchsticks. Gnolls who were standing too close were bowled over, not ready for the downwash.
It must have been less than a minute, and relatively calm, when what SJ had assumed was confidence had disintegrated. SJ noticed several gnolls breaking free from the forest, and others instantly retreating to the path. As Carlito lifted again and started to fly away, his previous boundless energy seemed diminished. His movements appeared more sluggish, the precise crispness of moments earlier vanishing in a heartbeat. The use of his dragon skills effect was clearly visible. Then the horn blared, and the forest filled with the screams of the town guard.
As SJ watched the battle unfold, it was obvious that the guards would win. The gnolls were in complete disarray. There was no leader screaming orders or trying to rally the troops as the town guard charged from the forest. They may have been at much lower levels than many, but the sheer grit and determination they were showing, along with their battle cries, would have made even the toughest troll fall to their knees. SJ had never felt so proud of them. Lorna led the central group, Jay to the right, and Darren to the left. The beings she called friends and held a special place in her heart led the guard forward.
The battle was brief, not really a struggle, more a skirmish, as the gnolls either fell, because of being outnumbered and panicked, or retreated to the track. The moment the area was clear, the mages moved in. There were nine in total. SJ couldn't tell who was who in the night and just watched from above as they commenced their job to collapse the track. It didn't take long for the valley's wall to start feeling the effects of the mana being induced into it. It began as a low rumble, distant and looming and slow as their spells built up in intensity. So did the sound.
There was a loud crack, and a large boulder broke free from where it had probably been held for millennia as it slowly rolled. Then more joined it. Earth, gravel, stones, rocks, trees, and boulders descended into the valley below. Then, with a sound louder than a clap of thunder, the front edge of the track gave way. The gnolls screamed in terror as the world around them turned to one of lethality. Projectiles and gravity took their effect as they ran, or fell to the floor below.
"Your turn now, Kibble," SJ said, patting his neck.
Kibble squeaked as he turned and immediately flew towards the valley floor, where the lizards were being kept.
The chaos caused by the collapse of the trail was catastrophic; mountainous clouds of dust swirled across the valley floor, and even the walls could not prevent their momentum. Cries and screams filled the night sky as not just those who had been fleeing were trapped in the avalanche of rock and debris, but those who had camped at the base as well. Two of the newly constructed buildings had been flattened, and the lizards by the river hadn't gone unscathed. At least four of them were now trapped underneath the rockfall—one with only its tail sticking into the air, in a last act of protest. SJ watched as it went limp and fell to the side.
As the collapse lessened and the dust settled, the chaos of the avalanche, even in the night's light, was absolute. The gate to the wall was a scene of mayhem as beings tried to flee through it, coughing and choking on the dust cloud, their bodies covered in thick layers of dirt and grime, where it clung to everything. As they were trying to leave, those who had been outside the wall were pushing in, trying to help those who were trapped and screaming or crying for help.
The lizards were snapping angrily where the river's edge had gathered them. Several draconians were trying to calm them, one getting a little too close as a lizard flared its skirt-like hood, spikes protruding from the ends, reminding SJ of a Triceratops.
A sound like an earthquake suddenly started, and SJ watched as the beetle that had been inside the wall suddenly erupted from underneath a pile of earth. She hadn't even noticed it was missing. It cascaded rocks and earth, throwing several beings nearby and adding to the chaos.
'Are you ready, Kibble?' SJ thought.
Kibble squeaked confidently as he lowered toward the lizards.
Neither SJ nor Dave had any idea how the influence worked, having to rely only on Carlito's comment and his own experience, which led him to believe he had the ability. He hovered above the lizards for some time before he turned his head and seemed to focus on one. The lizard was quite large compared to others and was positioned further back, away from the now cliff face that the trail had been transformed into. In amazement, SJ watched as she felt a tremor pass through Kibble, and it turned, sauntering towards the gate with its swinging motion.
Not wanting to disturb Kibble, SJ watched in amazement. It didn't attack, but as it neared the mass of bodies fighting against each other, pushing and shoving to escape or enter, it snapped out at them. It went unnoticed at first amongst the maelstrom of chaos. Then, as a draconian spotted what it was doing, it reacted. A large wooden spear-like object appeared in its hand, and with a swift strike, it clattered the lizard on its brow. The lizard responded almost nonchalantly as it turned its head, snapping at the stick and biting it.
The draconian holding it struggled to maintain its grip as it flicked its gigantic head and dragged the draconian off its feet, causing it to fall, before swiftly clamping down on his would-be controller's arm. The draconian screamed in pain as others realised what was happening and moved forward.
Kibble appeared almost frozen, his neck taut, SJ feeling the tense muscles under her hands, and the only movement was his wings beating, maintaining their height.
'Are you okay?' SJ thought.
Kibble grunted, the strain clear.
"This is one impressive mess," Dave said happily.
'It is, and Kibble is doing an amazing job.'
Kibble didn't respond; his stare locked on his target.
'Can you control more than one?' SJ asked.
"He says it's hard," Dave replied.
The lizard, now drawing the attention of more, was slowly being herded away as it became agitated from the attention it had received.
That was when a brilliant flash of light filled the night sky. SJ was dazzled by it, even though she hadn't been looking exactly where it came from. The pale blue light emanated from a lone figure standing at the gate entrance. Beings that had been near him backed away, and as it caressed the surrounding area, all those it fell on stopped, almost frozen in time.
Even the crying of the trapped or dying became silenced. Then, as the light faded, the draconian cried out in a voice of absolute power. As high as they were above, SJ knew this being was powerful. This had to be the commander from the awning. The draconian was tall, bare-chested, wearing loose baggy pants. His scales seemed to ripple, and where the others were covered in dust and grime, he appeared untouched.
It was then that SJ noticed what he carried. In one large hand, he strode forward, carrying a great axe she knew so well. It was Ballentine's. He approached the lizard that Kibble was influencing, and as he neared, cried out, swinging the great axe up in two hands above his head. The lizard turned towards his latest victim as he approached, but the draconian didn't even pause as he cleaved the axe through the air with an almighty strike. The lizard's head split down the middle as its legs gave out, and it fell dead.
Kibble shuddered, the tremor panicking SJ, as he immediately fell to the ground. His wings had stopped beating.
"Kibble?" SJ cried, gripping onto the mithril collar.
Thankfully, it was only momentarily as he shook his head and flapped his wings again. It was apparent from the sudden loss of influence that he had been affected.
"Are you okay?" SJ asked, stroking his neck.
Kibble squeaked feebly, still shaking his head as though trying to clear water from his ears.
"That was close," Dave said.
'I think you have done enough, Kibble. Let's just watch,' SJ thought as they regained height again.
The draconian that had just slain the lizard with such ease now stood commandingly in amongst the beings. He shouted as several came rushing toward him. None got too close, leaving a ring of empty ground around him. They fell to their knees as they did. He shouted several orders as those who had frozen with the light's aura now reacted. The panicked chaos was now being transformed into organised chaos as groups formed and were directed.
Cries and screams still filled the night, where beings lay injured or trapped beneath the rubble.
Slowly, a semblance of order appeared, as it became more organised. The search parties were moving the injured through the gate out onto the plain. The remaining lizards were all slowly being withdrawn and taken onto the plains. The newly constructed cliff face groaned, and SJ looked up as a large slab of stone broke free, falling towards a group of four gnolls who had been searching near the top of the pile of debris when it struck. No sound came from where it impacted. SJ doubted they even knew it was coming.
The cliff was still unstable, and SJ wondered how long it might continue to break up after the mages had pumped mana into it. The previous steep-sided trail was utterly gone, and in its place, the valleyside was now concave. The tons of disturbed earth and rock were unimaginable to calculate.
'I think we have seen enough for now. They are going to be busy doing this all night,' SJ thought.
"I can't see them being able to do anything else anytime soon," Dave agreed.
'Kibble. Let's go and find Carlito. He said he would be drained after his attack.'
Kibble again squeaked, his reply tired and strained.
'You were amazing, but I think you need to rest as well.'
A low trill was the only reply as they turned, banking back towards the forest to find her guardian.
